The Maryland Horse Council Celebrates 35 Years of One Common VoiceBy Katherine O. Rizzo


In the early 1980s, the Maryland horse com-


munity was, in essence, fragmented. Special interest groups were organized and attentive within their specifi c groups, such as trail rid- ers, racehorse trainers, breeders, etc., but rarely worked with other groups even though they all shared many common concerns such as ur- ban sprawl, zoning and liability issues. It be- came clear to a few individuals in the Southern Maryland area that horse enthusiasts needed to unite in order to have one common voice heard at the government level. T us, the Maryland Horse Council was formed. “We all had horses but no one [in Annapo-


lis] had the idea that horses were an industry,” said MHC founding member Dorothy Trout- man. “We had to bring everyone together if we wanted to be heard.” Troutman said there was initial resistance to the idea of one horse coun- cil speaking for the whole industry but eventu- ally the horse community came together. Former MHC president LuAnne Levens


once wrote in a 2001 newsletter, “T ere is a real need for a group like the Maryland Horse Council – we’re here to serve all those in league with horses and to get things done.” “Overall, I would say that the greatest ac-


complishment of MHC has been to make solid, signifi cant progress in knocking down the ‘silos’ that for generations kept the various segments of the equestrian community and of the horse industry from fully conversing with, understanding and supporting each other,” said former MHC president Jane Seigler. It was attorney and CPA Sandra Bullington who offi cially acted as the fi rst MHC president and resident agent. She fi led the paper- work to form MHC on July 25, 1985. T e fi rst MHC meeting was held on September 24, 1985, at the Marlboro Country Club. Robert C. Carrico, Ken Pare- melee, Earl A. Reese and Mardee Sim- merer were appointed as directors along with Lenora Davis, Dr. Ed- win E. Goodwin and Mollie Maslin. Simmerer was elected Vice President and Laurie Higgins elected as both Secretary and Treasurer. Membership categories were: Individual


said Beverly Raymond, also an MHC found- ing member. her business


“When got too


busy she pulled back and asked me to be the next president but I felt it was a confl ict of inter- est with my position as stable inspector.” Quarter Horse breeder


Peter Bowling took over as MHC president


that time. “It in


1987 but the organiza- tion was fairly inactive during


wasn’t until Rich Wilcke came on board that things really got going,” said Raymond. Wilcke served as MHC presi- dent from 1989 ‘til 1992.


“I have been fortunate to see the horse industry come together over the last decade and I attribute that in a large part to the ef- forts of Jane Seigler and Steuart Pittman, my predecessors as presidents of the Maryland Horse Council, as well as the Maryland Horse Industry Board and the work of its executive director Ross Peddicord,” said current MHC president Neil Agate, pictured here (center) with former MHC president Steuart Pittman and current MHC executive director/Equiery publisher Carrie Hull.


MHC also actively promotes research and


What is the Maryland Horse Council? T e mission of MHC is to unify, inform and


represent Maryland’s diverse horse community. MHC protects and promotes the horse indus- try by providing a united voice in the Maryland state government and with state agencies, by interacting with the media and general public, by keeping its members informed of issues that aff ect them and their horses, and by represent- ing the state on the American Horse Council’s Coalition of State Horse Councils. MHC monitors legislative and administra-


Maryland Horse Council Presidents


Sandra R. Bullington (1985-1987) Peter Bowling (1987-1989) Rich Wilcke (1989-1992) Elizabeth Madlener (1992-1996) Malcolm Commer (1996-1998) Sol Goldstein (1999-2001) LuAnne Levens (2001-2005) Mike Erskine (2005-2009) Steuart Pittman (2009-2013) Jane Seigler (2013-2017) Neil Agate (2017-present)


tive decisions that aff ect the horse industry. T rough its Legis- lative Committee, MHC represents Maryland horsemen’s interest to the legisla- ture. “Legislature was always a key part of the Horse Council,” Raymond said. MHC provides


communic atio n among the various horse organizations within Maryland. It helps coordinate sim-


Members, Professional Members and Associa- tion Members. T at fi rst year, there were seven individual members, three professional and four associations. “Sandra really got the whole thing going,”


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ilar organizations to work on common inter- ests, such as Maryland’s extensive trail system, and equine welfare issues. MHC promotes horses as viable tourist activi- ties and spectator sports. MHC often works with the Maryland Offi ce of Tourism, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Mary- land Horse Industry Board to promote a variety of equine activities within the state.


development eff orts within the horse indus- try. T rough the years, MHC has developed a series of brochures on such topics as trail eti- quette, equine health, legal standards of care, and pasture rotation. MHC reaches the general public through


various information booths at the Maryland State Fair, Pet Expo and other locations. It also actively supports youth-oriented organizations, which helps to develop the future of our in- dustry. Various outreach committees have been formed through MHC including the Farm Stewardship Committee, Business Network seminars and the Political Action Committee.


Initial Goals Achieved In the very fi rst MHC Newsletter, dated


November 1985, the initial executive board and members laid out a series of goals for the Horse Council. At the top of the list was the “promotion of the indoor facility at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center.” Troutman spear- headed this project and the new indoor arena was completed in 1993 while Elizabeth Madle- ner was MHC president. T e second goal of MHC listed in its fi rst


newsletter was to establish more trails within the state. MHC’s Trails and Greenways Com- mittee was formed to unite trail riders and ad- dress this issue. In 1992, MHC partnered with Trail Riders of Today (TROT) and Montgom- ery County TV to release the “Why Horses” video, which promoted multi-use trails. In 1995, MHC partnered with the Plantation Walking Horses of Maryland to release the “Multi-use Trail Etiquette and Safety Guide-


continued... MARCH 2020 | THE EQUIERY | 15


Katherine O. Rizzo


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